Album Review: Wire – Wire

English rock band WIRE probably have the strongest début ever conceived. Their 1977 album, Pink Flag, is an absolute fucking classic and has garnered much praise and respect from music fans and artists alike. It’s a shame then that their latest collection of songs simply entitled, WIRE, is nowhere near the standard set so high […]
– ISLINGTON MILL, SALFORD – Moon Duo would most likely fill a larger venue, which makes tonight’s album launch even more special – those lucky enough to gain entry to this sold-out show get to experience the band in this intimate space, with it’s low ceiling and incredibly loud and clear sound system. Whatever comes at us through those speakers is […]

LIVE: MOON DUO – 08/04/2015

LIVE: JESSICA PRATT – 07/04/2015

– THE NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – For me, it is easy to remember the first time I heard Jessica Pratt’s ‘Back Baby.’ It was when I was sat on my scruffy computer chair, expecting just another normal acoustic song, when suddenly I was absolutely blown away by a song that sounded like an […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – I’m so pleased to be watching Errors. I’ve missed the Scottish ‘post-electro’ band every time they’ve toured for one reason or another, and the only glimpse I’ve had of them live was a couple of songs at the end of a Bestival set in about 2012 that I stumbled […]

LIVE: ERRORS – 04/04/2015

LIVE: COURTNEY BARNETT – 03/04/2015

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER – There must be a time portal at the door of Gorilla:  We’ve arrived early to check out the support bands, but somehow between the doorman and the cloakroom we’ve been transported to Greenwich village in 1961.  Fraser A Gorman is a man who wears his Dylan influences on his sleeves, in […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – It’s a stormy Monday night, but shelter and warmth from the high winds and incessant rain has kindly been provided tonight by Manchester’s renowned basement rock venue. Intrepid, die hard music fans huddle around the stage, eager to hear the next big thing, while trying to shake off their weekend hangovers. […]

LIVE: DEMOB HAPPY – 30/03/2015

Album Review: The Lilac Time – No Sad Songs

With only a couple of brushes with the charts over the course of a 35-year career, Stephen Duffy is no stranger to commercial failure. Yet so disheartened was he with the non-impact of his last album, 2007’s Runout Groove, and the state of the music industry that he decided not to release any more records. […]
– THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER – When I arrive at The Castle Hotel, unfortunately it’s too late for the first band Elephantine, but I am on time for support act Violet Violet. The Norwich duo, Felicity/Fliss Kitson on drums and Cheri Percy on guitar, have been playing together since they met at sixth form but decided […]

LIVE: BAD GRAMMAR – 27/03/2015

LIVE: THE LOVELY EGGS / THE HIPSHAKES – 28/03/2015

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – The gig space in the Soup Kitchen looks like a catacomb and it fits the night perfectly, given that the devotion shown by fans of The Lovely Eggs shares some traits with a religious cult, and this is now the cult of the Magic Onion, as explained later. The amplification […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – “Hello Ritz, we’ve gone too fast and need a breather” beams Duncan Wallis, frontman of Stockport’s finest Dutch Uncles. He’s not the only one. Just three songs into their biggest headline show to date and the energy in the room is electric. While a moment of respite gives an adoring […]

LIVE: DUTCH UNCLES – 27/03/2015